Mark’s mouth opened. No sound came out.
Jessica tried to stand. Her knees wobbled. She sat back down.
Mark finally managed a broken sentence. “That’s… impossible. She… she doesn’t—she just stays home.”
I took one slow step toward him.
“I stayed home,” I corrected, “because you said that’s where I belonged.”
His eyes flicked to the necklace on Jessica. Then back to me. He looked like he was going to throw up.
“Elena, I can explain—”
“No,” Sterling cut in, cold. “You can listen.”
Mark flinched like he’d been slapped.
Sterling continued, “Mr. Vance, do you know what your role is in this organization?”
Mark’s voice cracked. “Marketing Director.”
“No,” Sterling said. “That was pending. Your actual role is ‘employee.’ And employees do not publicly degrade the company’s Chairwoman while wearing a suit she indirectly paid for.”
Mark looked around for allies.
There were none.
Because the second power shifts, loyalty follows it like a shadow.
I turned to Jessica.
“That necklace,” I said calmly, “doesn’t belong on your neck.”
Jessica’s lips trembled. “He said it was a gift.”
“It was stolen,” I replied.
Keep reading—because that’s when Mark tried one last move—blame, bargaining, and public pleading—and it only made what happened next even more brutal.
